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New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin celebrates with teammates Tyson Chandler and Landry Fields after his game winning three-pointer in the final second of NBA action against the Toronto Raptors in Toronto on Tues., Feb. 14, 2012.

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New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin is certainly causing a frenzy -- and Linsanity may turn out to be a good thing for small businesses.

Sports bars across New York, for one, are already cashing in on the phenomenon of the first U.S.-born NBA player of Chinese heritage who has turned into an overnight success, as this Huffington Post story reports. They're adding Lin burgers, egg rolls and Chinese lagers to their menus, and seeing a wider demographic of patrons, including more Asians, coming in, staying longer and therefore spending more.

Entrepreneurs seeing potential financial three-pointers are making trademark applications to lay claim to "Linsanity" and "Linning," reports The Los Angeles Times, which notes that trademark holders can use such phrases on "fan paraphernalia" and products such as clothing.

One that may already be making out good on Linsanity is the holder of Linsanity.com, which offers clothing, including T-shirts on the site, and which, according to t his piece, was presciently purchased years ago by an old high school coach of the player who is taking the NBA by storm as he leads the Knicks' winning streak.

The effects for small businesses may be spreading quickly beyond Big Apple sports bars. As the Vancouver Sun reported, in the 30 minutes after Mr. Lin helped his team to a dramatic win over the Toronto Raptors, half a dozen Asian customers came in search of a No. 17 Knicks jersey, following many others in the preceding days since his sensational rise. "The Lin phenomenon has definitely hit the West Coast," the story said.









Why employees should get paid sabbaticals

He's been all over the world on annual three-month trips that "never failed to rekindle the fire in my belly needed to lead a fast-growing company," including one trip that spurred the idea for his company. So entrepreneur Joe Reynolds, at the helm of Red Frog Events, says he "gained so much from my wanderlust" that he now offers his own employees a fully paid one-month trip to the destination of their choice, as he writes in this Inc. piece. And he makes a case for why all businesses should offer a sabbatical to their employees. Among his five reasons: Everyone needs to recharge; appreciation goes a long way; gaining a worldly perspective brings fresh thoughts; and going outside your comfort zone sparks unconventional ideas.



EVENTS AND KEY DATES

Social media insights

Later today, a two-panel discussion as part of Social Media Week will look at how social media can help grow your business. The Globe's Report on Small Business editor Sean Stanleigh will moderate a panel of experts who will offer insights on how small businesses can leverage social media platforms. A second panel moderated by Profit magazine's Ian Portsmouth will get real-life perspectives from small business owners. The event, presented by Bank of Montreal, takes place at 4:30 p.m. For more information, click here.

Business blastoff

The Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development will be holding Blast off, a three-day workshop to guide wannabe entrepreneurs through the business development process. The event starts on Feb. 21 in Halifax. For more information, click here.

EDITOR'S PICKS FROM REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS

Why Nicki Minaj's big Grammy gamble failed to pay off

Her unusual entrance got people talking, but the concept fell flat, columnist Mia Pearson writes, because it lacked two critical elements: the hook and the follow-through

FROM THE ROSB ARCHIVES

Could you pull off a Gaga-style stunt?

Mia Pearson may not have been impressed with Nicki Minaj's entrance at this year's Grammy awards, but she had a different perspective at last year's ceremony when Lady Gaga did her bit. Her take then: With the right tactics, a focused strategy and a creative approach, stunts can be amazing tools for businesses of any size.

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Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page. Data updated as of 18/03/24 4:00pm EDT.

SymbolName% changeLast
AAPL-Q
Apple Inc
+0.64%173.72
BMO-N
Bank of Montreal
+0.07%93.92
BMO-T
Bank of Montreal
+0.05%127.17

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